The Gestapo vs. the SS
The Gestapo was created on this day in 1933
Hermann Göring created the Geheime Staatspolizei, known as the Gestapo, on this day 88 years ago. (A wee bit creepy for numerology people.)
The Gestapo was the secret police of Nazi Germany. I was a bit confused about the difference between the Gestapo and the Schutzstaffel—the SS. So I did a tiny bit of research.
The essential differences between the Gestapo and the SS are that the SS was more elite and existed independent of the German state. The Gestapo evolved from regular government security services, whereas the SS began as a Nazi party paramilitary group.
It’s worth mentioning-for any “thank god that hasn’t happened here” people—that the United States has a plethora of rightwing paramilitary (or wannabe paramilitary) groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. We missed the bullet with the electoral defeat of Trump, but the threat of fascism at home remains real.
Oh yeah, and just a friendly reminder that the United States still has concentration camps on the border.
A tiny bit more about the Gestapo:
Hermann Göring, Gestapo founder, was the #2 Nazi after Hitler. Out of consideration for the extreme nature of his crimes, I will not include his picture or proliferate any Nazi symbols.
Göring gave up control of the Gestapo to Heinrich Himmler and took command of the Luftwaffe, the German air force.
The Gestapo, like the SS, was a key player in the Holocaust.
Available data suggests that only a small minority of Gestapo members served prison sentences.
When I think about the Gestapo...